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Hosting Christmas dinner doesn't have to be a big deal if you plan ahead, says Barbara Barnes, supervisor of the ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen.

"We like to encourage people not to go overboard. Usually there is way too much food, way too many leftovers and a limited time to do it all in -- so people get all stressed out."

The key to preparing a fuss-free Christmas dinner, says Barnes, is planning well in advance. Make a list of the dishes you'll serve and the ingredients you'll need. Is anything you can make ahead and freeze? If you plan ahead, it will cut down on the work you need to do at the last minute. And, you'll be able to take advantage of grocery store specials in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

As part of your planning, consider how many dinner guests there will be. Sketch out a timeline of what you can prepare four to five days in advance, and then do your grocery shopping a week ahead of time. This way, you'll limit the things you need to purchase at the last minute.

If a recipe calls for fresh ingredients where frozen ingredients can also be used -- for example, green beans -- then consider using frozen vegetables. Dishes like cranberry sauce can also be made a week in advance and keep in the refrigerator.

Another organizational strategy is to label the serving dishes ahead of time to ensure you have the right sized baking dish for each menu item. After Barnes has settled on a menu, she thinks about which serving pieces she will use for each dish, and marks them with sticky notes, labeling everything right down to the serving spoons.

"I make sure I've got it all organized," she says.

And if people offer to bring something, accept. Ask what size dish they plan to bring, so you'll have an idea of how much room you'll need in the oven for the food that needs heating.

The cookbook's latest edition includes an easy-to-prepare dessert that everyone will enjoy at Christmas, says Barnes. You can find the recipe for Frozen Holiday Terrine under the cookbook's Christmas Dinner section.

Frozen Holiday Terrine serves 16 to 20, so "for those people having a huge family gathering, it's great."

To make it, line two loaf pans line with plastic wrap and add a layer of softened vanilla ice cream to each pan. Mix in some deluxe candied fruit to each pan of ice cream, and then place the pans into the freezer for half an hour.

Stir some chopped, toasted, slivered almonds into chocolate ice cream that has been softened, and then add some mincemeat. Place this mixture on top of the vanilla layer in the loaf pans, cover and put the pans in the freezer.

"You can make that a good week in advance," says Barnes. "It's fast and it looks very festive, because you've got the colors that remind people of Christmas.

"It serves a ton of people, it doesn't take up a lot of room, and you don't need a fancy serving dish for it. It really is a very good dessert for Christmas."

Slice the terrine into wedges and serve.

One thing ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen does recommend is not to use light ice cream for this recipe, because after light ice cream is softened and refrozen, it will form ice crystals.

For this and a variety of other festive recipe ideas, check out A Holiday Collection, an ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen Cookbook. A new edition is out this month (November), available for purchase from ATCO Gas and ATCO Electric, and by calling 1-800-840-3393.

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